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"Superman: "The Super-Powers of Perry White!"": While out relaxing in his garden, Perry White spots a strange alien plant growing in his yard. Perplexed by its appearance, he none-the-less eats one of its fruits and goes about his business. Later that day he has t

Quote1 This will be the happiest day of my life! At last my existence on Earth will be revealed! Thanks, Superman! Quote2
Supergirl

Action Comics #278 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1961.

Synopsis for Superman: "The Super-Powers of Perry White!"

While out relaxing in his garden, Perry White spots a strange alien plant growing in his yard. Perplexed by its appearance, he none-the-less eats one of its fruits and goes about his business. Later that day he has trouble opening his safe when suddenly he gains super-human strength and rips the door right off its hinges. Perry initially dismisses the situation as a fluke, but later on he realizes he's gained powers similar to that of Superman, including super strength, flight and x-ray vision. Later while supervising a color photo shoot of fake Kryptonite, Perry wonders if he has the same weaknesses as the Man of Steel.

Curious to know, Perry fashions a costumed identity and calls himself Masterman (being careful to line his mask with lead to protect his identity even to Superman) and go out to test his powers and learn their weaknesses. Flying into space, Perry learns that he is immune to the power of Kryptonite and returns to Earth and appears in the public as Masterman. Returning to his civilian guise, he gloats to himself over how the Daily Planet staff is stumped over Masterman's true identity. When Jimmy Olsen makes up a lame excuse to get off work so that he can see a baseball game, Perry sees through the lie when his x-ray vision spots baseball tickets in his pocket. Perry catches Jimmy by allowing him to take the time off, but states that he is going to have to cover the game himself.

When a lion escapes from the Metropolis Zoo, both Clark Kent and Perry White excuse themselves to change into their respective secret identities. While changing into Superman, Clark uses his x-ray vision and spies on Perry changing into Masterman, learning his identity. Deciding to investigate how Perry got these powers, Superman watches as Masterman recaptures the lion and returns to his home. Spying on Perry with his x-ray vision, Superman is shocked to find that Perry has been taken over by an alien plant lifeform called Xasnu, who contacts his masters on his home world and reports back to tell them that the only way their invasion of Earth can succeed is if they eliminate Superman.

As Xasnu researches everything there is to know about Superman, the Man of Steel contrives a countermeasure to stop the alien being. First, he sends Supergirl out on a mission into space while he hypnotizes himself to not feel pain when exposed to Kryptonite. Back at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent, Superman allows Perry to spy his Superman costume with his x-ray vision. When Perry attempts to expose Clark to Kryptonite when he calls Clark, Lois and Jimmy into the office, Clark's hypnotic suggestion prevents him from showing pain.

Going to his Fortress of Solitude as Superman, Clark puts on his lead Kryptonite-proof armor and waits for Masterman to track him down. Armed with a sword and spear made out of Kryptonite, Superman battles Masterman, ultimately disarming him, however his lead suit is destroyed, and the Bottle City of Kandor is seemingly destroyed. Before the fight can continue any further, Supergirl arrives with a chunk of White Kryptonite. The Kryptonites power to kill plant life causes the spores of Xasnu inside Perry to die, ending the creatures control over the newspaper editor. Going to Perry's home, Superman destroys the rest of Xasnu. When Perry revives he has no memory past the point when Xasnu took over his body.

Back at his Fortress of Solitude, Superman finds Supergirl saddened by Kandor's apparent destruction, however Superman reveals that the Bottle City that she saw destroyed was really a decoy and the real thing is still safe and sound in a secret hiding place.

Appearing in Superman: "The Super-Powers of Perry White!"

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  • Xasnu and Y'Trom

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Synopsis for Supergirl: "The Unknown Supergirl!"

After repairing the damage an overnight windstorm did to the Midvale Orphanage carnival, Supergirl gets a visit from Krypto, that gives her a note telling her to come see Superman. Kara follows Krypto all the way back to a tiny isle where she finds out that her cousin's decided it's time that the public learns of her existence. After showing her several videos of her exploits, he tells he plans on making the reveal once he and Krypto return from a mission in another dimension, leaving Earth in Supergirl's protection.

Kal-El and Krypto depart, leaving Kara to her own devices. Supergirl is whiling away on the isle when her telescopic vision detects a cloud of Kryptonite dust ringing itself all over the Earth. Seeking protection from it, Supergirl dives into the ocean and is helped by Jerro, who pulls her further down where she'll be out of range from the K-radiation. Both teenagers seek refuge in Atlantis where they are reunited with Lori Lemaris.

While Kara and Lori recall old times, tv newscasts report the existence of the Kryptonite cloud, remarking Superman may have died unless he found a lead-lined shelter or flew into space in time. Law-abidding citizens are frightened, but criminals rejoice.

Undersea, Jerro is showing Supergirl around Atlantis when Lori warns them criminals all over the world, believing Superman is gone one or another way, have launched a great crime spree. Supergirl, watching from afar with her x-ray vision, uses her super powers to stop all the crimes on land without leaving the ocean. Ironically, people believes it is Superman who is helping them out.

After a number of successes, the Kryptonite cloud dissipates and Supergirl can return to Earth. She flies back to the island right before Superman and Krypto return from their mission. Superman leads her cousin to a tv station where he plans to make the announcement when Supergirl's powers suddenly disappear.

Superman flies her cousin to the Fortress of Solitude where he runs several tests. He can't figure out the reason, but Kara appears to have lost her powers permanently. Without any super-powers, Superman decides against revealing her to the public for her own safety. Kal takes his devastated cousin back to the Midvale Orphanage. Before leaving, he swears to do all he can to restore her powers.

Although her cousin tries to cheer her up, Kara fears their relationship will be different from now on. Kara changes to her Linda Lee identity and goes back to her bedroom. Before falling asleep, Kara tries to see the silver lining: now she is no longer Superman's secret weapon, she has no reason to avoid adoption. But what caused her power loss?

Appearing in Supergirl: "The Unknown Supergirl!"

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Trivia

Although the culprit behind Supergirl's power loss would be revealed in the next issue, Supergirl wouldn't learn about her until Action Comics #297 and Superman Family #189.


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